Storm Chandra : Road Safety and Damage Risks with Potential Upcoming Floods

Storm Chandra is projected to make landfall on January 27th & 28th, bringing with it heavy rains and potential flooding. Orange and Yellow weather warnings have been issued. We urge everyone to stay safe and cautious during this time.

Understanding the Risks to Motorists

Remember, the weather can pose several dangers to motorists. Here’s what you need to know to ensure your safety and the longevity of your vehicle:

🚗 Aquaplaning:

Where excess surface water gets in between the car tyres and the road surface. This prevent the tyres gripping the road and can cause you to lose control of the car.

🚗 Deep Puddles and Vehicle Control:

𝗛𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝘂𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘀 can cause the car to pull dangerously to one side.

🚗 Hidden Dangers: 

It can be difficult to see what’s beneath the surface of puddles, increasing the risk of damaging the wheels and suspension from hitting pot holes.

Storm Chandra can also cause severe damage to your car, such as:

💧Damage to electrics:

Water and wiring do not mix. Driving through flooding increases the risk of water reaching wiring, which can cause damage to things like lights, the sound system and windshield wipers.

💧Brakes:

Corrosion of brake discs is a potential problem, especially in EVs that frequently use Regen Braking. Sand and dirt can be carried by water into the brake discs and pads causing uneven wear and damage to the parts.

💧Water Ingress:

Water getting into the car can stain and damage the materials. This can cause a bad smell that could be difficult to get rid of.

💧Engine Flooding:

Driving through standing water can present big problems. If the level is too high for your particular car then you risk damaging your engine beyond repair. If you drive in heavy water, the air intake may suck in water instead of the air it needs to combust in the cylinders.

A spokesperson for The AA Ireland added;

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘈 𝘐𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘬𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘱𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘳.”

Stay safe, stay dry, and if possible, stay off the roads during Storm Chandra.